Meatloaf with Chard and Carrots

and mixed greens pear salad

We first introduced meatloaf to our meal plan service in October 2015 in response to a request from community members. This version is classic, right down to a ketchup-based topping, and includes finely chopped chard and carrots to lend moisture to the dish. Smarts: To make this recipe easily scaled up or down for any number of servings, we recommend baking it in muffin tins. Muffin-tin meatloaf freezes well too!

Prep

Make ketchup topping - Whisk together ketchup, mustard and balsamic vinegar. (Can be done up to 5 days ahead)

Prep vegetables for meatloaf - If preparing right before cooking, turn on the oven before returning to this step. Peel garlic. Chop onions and chard leaves into large pieces and combine with carrots and garlic in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until onions are in small pea-sized pieces. (Alternatively, you can chop the vegetables by hand.) (Can be done up to 3 days ahead)

Make

Heat oven to 350F / 177C degrees. Spray a muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray or brush with some oil.

While oven heats, heat a saute pan over medium-high heat. Add butter and then onions, chard, carrots and garlic with a pinch of salt and saute until tender, ~3 minutes.

Combine sauteed vegetables with panko, beef, eggs, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper. Mix with your hands or a wooden spoon just until ingredients are roughly combined (don't overmix as that can result in a tougher meatloaf). Divide meatloaf between spaces in the muffin tin, leaving about ½" / 1.3cm of space in the top. Spread ketchup topping over the meatloaf.

Family loved these meatloaf muffins! Will make more next time and freeze. I left out onions, as my husband doesn't care for them. Added some oregano and added a teaspoon of brown sugar to the ketchup glaze. Very moist and tasty! And the salad was delicious as well!